Species

Streblus smithii

Etymology

smithii: After the British botanist John Smith (1798-1888) or Stephenson Percy Smith (1840-1922).

Common Name(s)

Three Kings milk tree

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - CD, IE
2009 - IE

Authority

Streblus smithii (Cheeseman) Corner

Family

Moraceae

Brief Description

Multi-trunked small tree with speckled dark bark bearing large dark green wavy leaves on zig-zagged stems inhabiting the Three Kings Islands. Leaves 10-20cm long. Flowers small in often curved spikes originating from the twigs and branches. Fruit red, 8-9mm wide.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

STRSMI

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Paratrophis smithii Cheesem.

Chromosome No.

2n = 28

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Notes

Named in honour of Stephenson Percy Smith (1840-1922), New Zealand surveyor who accompanied Thomas Cheeseman when he visited the Three Kings Island group in August 1887. For further information read Val Smith's biography in The New Zealand Botanical Society Newsletter (issue 104)

References and further reading

May, V. 1988. Streblus (paratrophis) smithii an assisted immigrant. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 43: 65-67 

May, V. 1997. Streblus smithii (Paratrophis smithii). Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 52: 64-65.

This page last updated on 6 Dec 2014